Theatre Group of Millis to Perform The Odd Couple

“Neil Simon – The man had an unbelievable knack for finding the humor in everyday situations. There was no one better at striking a balance between drama and levity in his works, which are as heartfelt as they are hilarious. Many of his works are rightfully seen as classics and will continue to be performed for generations,” writes Mark Prokes, who will direct the Theatre Group of Millis’ upcoming production of Neil Simon’s classic comedy, The Odd Couple, the tale of two great friends and unlikely roommates, Friday, November 2nd, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 3rd, at 2 and 8 p.m. The works of Simon, who passed away at the end of August, are bound to last generations.
The show will be the first comedy Director Mark Prokes, of Westwood, has worked on. Prokes has directed four other shows, including The Memorandum, about Vaclav Havel, back at Emmanuel College, musical Precious Bane, in Needham last year, and this past January, Assassins, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim based on a book by John Weidman. Following Theatre Group of Millis’ The Odd Couple, Prokes will also direct Dracula, The Bloody Truth, at the Milford Performing Arts Center in December.
Bobby McCall, of Burlington, who will play “Felix,” met director Mark Prokes when they were both students at Emmanuel College. He has been acting his whole life, but really became serious in high school and college.
“I like playing annoying characters,” says McCall, who played in two productions of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, as lead Chip Talantino both times and has worked with the Theatre Group of Millis once, last year, for a production of Almost Maine. “I like being the high strung one and getting to do the silly stuff that makes people laugh.”
Peter Themistocles, of Millis, who will play Oscar in the production, is excited about the role, specifically, he says, “Because Oscar is completely opposite of who I am. I am Felix Unger,” he laughs, “so, Oscar, for me, is a huge acting challenge. It’s going to be hard for me to litter the stage and throw those cigarette butts down!”
Themistocles began acting back at Framingham South High School, and he credits his two daughters, Olivia and Emily with leading his way back to the world of theatre as an adult.
“I wanted to get invested back in theatre with my daughters –they were trying for Wizard of Oz – so I did, and (the theatre group) took a big risk and gave me the Tin Man, and I got hooked.” A year later, Themistocles would land a role as the mute king, Sextimus, in Millis’ production of Once upon a Mattress, and later, as Harry McAphee in Bye Bye, Birdie with the group. Breaking out, Themistocles took on a role as “Schmendiman” in Picasso at the Lapin Agile, with The Center for the Arts in Natick (TCAN), and a couple months ago, he played “Mr. Kirby” in a Milford Theatre production of You Can’t Take it with You.
The play will also feature Milford husband-wife team as Terry and Brendan Boelke as Speed and Murray, Ben Kern, of Framingham, as Roy, J.J. Lopes, Tara Levasque, from Millis, as Gwendolyn Pigeon, and Jade Ansell, of Whitinsville, as Cecoly Pigeon. The Theater Group of Millis drew actors from neighboring towns by advertising on local casting sites, including Your Theatre 411.
This November’s production of Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple, again, on November 2nd & 3rd, will take place at the Millis High School auditorium, 245 Plain Street, Millis. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for seniors and students. For more information, please visit www.millistheatre.org.